PAS2035 Consultants Ltd was pleased to deliver a specialist Continuing Professional Development (CPD) session to Legal & General Surveyor Services, focusing on the growing impact of retrofit and energy efficiency works on residential property surveying.
The training was delivered by Joe Nelson, Chartered Architectural Technologist, Retrofit Designer and Retrofit Coordinator, following an invitation from Jony Milner, former Head of Culture at the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).
The session explored how major government-backed retrofit programmes, including ECO4 and large-scale social housing decarbonisation schemes, are changing the UK's housing stock and creating new considerations for surveyors, valuers and property professionals.
Particular attention was given to solid wall insulation projects, both where installations have been delivered correctly and where workmanship, design or quality assurance issues have resulted in non-compliant outcomes. Using real-world examples, attendees were shown how retrofit measures can present during inspections, the signs surveyors should look for, and the implications for future property condition assessments.
The CPD also examined the difference between "ideal" retrofit scenarios, where a whole-house approach has been followed in accordance with PAS2035, and "non-ideal" situations where poor sequencing, inappropriate detailing or incomplete measures can create unintended consequences. Topics included moisture risk, thermal bridging, ventilation strategies, fire safety considerations and the interaction between retrofit measures and traditional surveying activities.
As retrofit continues to accelerate across both public and private housing sectors, understanding how energy efficiency measures affect building performance is becoming increasingly important for surveyors. Measures such as External Wall Insulation (EWI), Internal Wall Insulation (IWI), loft insulation, ventilation upgrades and renewable technologies are likely to become more common features encountered during inspections, valuations and defect diagnosis.
The session also considered how future regulatory changes, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, decarbonisation targets and evolving lender requirements may influence property condition reporting and surveying practices over the coming years.
PAS2035 Consultants Ltd remains committed to sharing knowledge across the industry and supporting professionals in understanding the opportunities, challenges and practical realities of retrofit as the UK moves towards a lower-carbon built environment.